Thread-advancing device



July 1%, 1946. R. w. STANLEY ETAL 2,404,005

' THREAD-ADVANCING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 16,1946.. R. w. STANLEY ETAL 2,404,005

THREAD-ADVANGING DEVICE Filed Jun 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Bap Patented July 16, 1946 THREAD -ADVANCING DEVICE Richard W. Stanley,Drexel Hill, and William B. assignors to American Viscose Corporation,Wilmington, Del., a cor- Lowe, Chester, Pa.,

poration of Delaware Application June 1, 1945, Serial No. 597,108

12 Claims.

This invention relates to thread-advancing reels and is particularlyconcerned with a construction thereof in which a stationarythreadreceiving surface is provided adjacent the discharge end of thereel. This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pendingapplication Serial No. 508,174, filed October 29, 1943.

Thread-advancing reels have heretofore been of either of two generaltypes. In one type, a driving shaft or other moving part has projectedfrom both ends of the reel so that any accumulation of thread which wasforced off the discharge end of the reel dropped upon the rotating shaftor other part and Was both dangerous to remove and liable to tangle withthe operating parts. In the latter event there resulted a messycondition and possible damage to the thread-advancing reel. It has alsobeen proposed to so construct and mount such thread-advancing reels thatone end, generally the thread discharge end, is entirely free, and insuch constructions, any accumulation of thread at the discharge endmerely drops from the reel. In some installations, such accumulatedthread cannot drop from the thread-advancing reel without falling intoother operating mechanisms which could thus be damaged or into bathswhich by splashing could become a menace to personal safety.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide athread-receiving surface adjacent the discharge end of thread-advancingreels. Such a surface serves to prevent any accumulation of threaddischarge from tangling and damaging or interfering with operating partsand from falling into baths or operating mechanisms below. The surfacealso serves to store the accumulation out of the Way until an operatorhas the time to remove it. Another object of the invention is to providefor varying the rapidity of thread-advancing action independently of therate of rotation of the reel as a unit. Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the drawings and the description thereof.

In the drawings, illustrative of the invention- Figure 1 is an elevationwith the upper half in section of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 1a is a view, similar to Figure 1, of the embodiment of Figure l,but having a, modified driving arrangement;

Figure 2 is a section on the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of another embodiment;

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a third embodiment; and

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a fourth embodiment.

Referring more particularly to the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, thethread-receiving surface of the present invention is shown integrallyformed upon the supporting member for one end of a double-end supportedthread-advancing reel. As shown, the concentric set of longitudinallyextending bar members 2 are constituted of a cylindrical cage-likemember having a flange 4 at one end and an annular member 3 at the otherend thereof and being appropriately slitted longitudinally to leavespaces alternating between the bars 2 within which the bars 5 of theother set may be actuated. The cylindrical cage may be clamped betweenend flanges or spiders 6 and l by suitable spaced cap screws 8. Thesystem comprising the cylindrical cage and flanges 6 and l constitutes ahousing which may have any axial length desired, and which may house theactuating mechanism for the other set of interdigitating bars 5. Thishousing is supported for rotation with respect to shaft 9 by means ofsuitable bearings I0 and II. Flange 1 may be provided with anon-circular projection 12 which is adapted to fit a correspondingsocket I2 of a coupling upon the shaft I2 which may be driven y the r Zkeyed thereto. Secured to the shaft 9 is a suitable non-circularprojection I3 adapted to be received by a corresponding recess in anormally stationary but retractable supporting element I3.Alternatively, as shown in Figure 1a, a non-circular projection I30, maybe engaged by a retractable coupling member I2a to a shaft l2"a(analogous to I2 and I2) for driving the shaft 9 in a direction the sameor opposite to the direction of rotation of projection l2 and the reelbars as a whole. Spring I20 normally urges the coupling l2a. intoclutching engagement with the non-circular end of the projection Isa onshaft 9. As the occasion may demand, rotation of shaft 9 provides ameans of modifying the pitch of the helical path followed by the threadabout the reel and the rapidity of threadadvancing action withoutchanging the speed of rotation of the reel as a whole. Normally, shaft 9is maintained stationary as in Figure 1 unless this pitch modificationis found necessary. If shaft 9 is rotated at an equivalent speed but inthe opposite direction as that of projection I2, the pitch will be twicethat obtained when shaft 9 is held stationary. If shaft 9 is rotated athalf the speed and in the same direction as projection I2, the pitchobtained will be one-half that obtained when shaft 9 is held stationary.

The sleeves I l and I5 are mounted upon the shaft 9 and are suitablyspaced by the ring I6. The sleeves I4 and 15 have external cylindricalsurfaces whose axes are askew and eccentric to the axis of shaft 9 butparallel to each other. Upon each of the sleeves, a resilient spidermember I l is mounted, preferably by means of ball bearings I6. Thesespiders I! are of a resilient material, preferably of thin spring metal,and have individual radially extending members I9 between opposed pairsof which, the bars are secured by suitable means, such as by thenoncircular rod 20 embedded within depending portions of the bars 5 andthe nuts 2|. Skew plates 22 and 23 are also carried by the bearings I8and have outer flanged portions 24 which bear against the ends of therods 20.

When it is desired to protect the main operating parts from anypossibility of clogging and corrosion when the reel is used forsubjecting the filamentary material to liquids, a flexible sealingmembrane 25, such as of rubber or synthetic rubruber, may be secured tothe outer portion of the resilient supporting means for thenon-concentric bars and to the ends of the concentric cylindrical cageas shown.

As shown, the annular member 3 projects beyond the flange 6 andoverhangs the outer rim of a stationary member 6, which is integral withor aihxed to the support I3. The outer peripheral surface of the member6 preferably slopes in wardly from its outer rim to a generallycylindrical portion, which serves to hold any accumulation of threadformed after breakage of the thread being handled by the reel or duringlacing up of the reel or any machine comprising the reel. Occasionally,stray filaments also tend to gather on this member E5. The collectingmember 6' has a surface of suiiicient axial extent to provide adequatestorage space and ready access for the operator to remove theaccumulated filaments or threads at his convenience without danger ofinjury to his hands, and without the necessity either of stopping thereel or of giving it immediate attention when the above-mentionedemergencies arise.

In operation, the skew plate flanges 24 cause substantial axial motionof the bars 5, such motion being imparted individually to each of thebars 5 by virtue of the individual resilient projecting members i9. Byvirtue of the eccentricity of the resilient supporting means and thebars 5, the axial to and fro motion of the bars imparted by the skewplates is combined with a radial component of motion which alternatelycauses first the protrusion of the bars 5 outside the periphery of bars2 and then their recession within that periphery, thereby resulting inthe advancing of the thread a daily of the reel.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, an application of the invention to anotherform of reel is shown. The concentric set of bar members 2b are formedby suitably slotting radially an integral cylindrical cage member 31)having an outwardly extending flange ib. The member 3b is secured by capscrews 8b to the supporting flange 5b whose hub is secured and keyed tothe end of a hollow shaft 91). lhe shaft is mounted for rotation withina stationary sleeve 38b suitably secured within a supporting bearing35b. The end of the sleeve b adjacent the hub of flange 512 has aperipheral surface l ib which is eccentric and askew with respect to theaxis of shaft 3b and carries a skew plate 221) on a ball bearing I811; Abushing 3% is carried by an adjacent peripheral surface of the sleeve3%, which surface is eccentric but not askew with respect to the axis ofshaft 91), the amount of eccentricity being substantially the same asthat of the surface Ib.

A pair of spaced flexible and resilient spiders I'Ib fit about thebushing and are held in proper axial relation with respect theretobysuitable washers or rings, such as I622. The flexible spiders 4 aresecured to either side of the inwardly extending portions of the movablebar members 5b by means of the bolts 20b and nuts Zlb. Upon each of thebolts Zflb is mounted a collar 3317 which extends through an aperture341) in the skew plate 22b. Between each of the collars 33b and thecorresponding head of the bolt, there is a Washer 351) against which aspring 36b is arranged to press, a pin 31b projecting from the head ofthe bolt 20b serving to guide the spring and to prevent its dislocation.A flexible sealing membrane 25b is arranged to protect the Working partsagainst the entrance of corrosive or abrasive materials.

The flange 61) is undercut annularly at 381) and astationary support391) carries a rod 40b fixedly secured thereto and projecting throughthe bore of the hollow shaft 9b. The end of the rod 40b carries astationary member Gb which comprises a generally annular neck portionfor supporting discharged thread accumulations from the reel. The necksurface connects and gradually merges with a knob Mb and a generallyconical portion 421) the outer edge of which extends partially into theundercut groove at 3%.

In operation, the reel of Figures 3 and 4 is similar to the other shows,the only difference being that the springs 36b serve to assure that thebolts 26b with their bar members 519 follow the movements of the skewplate 221).

The invention, as shown in Figure 5, is applied to a form of cantileverreel which comprises two generally cylindrical members 90 and Iflc.Member 90 which may be termed the concentric member, is mountedconcentrically upon and for rotation with the hollow drive shaft Me asby pins Mo and has a periphery comprised of a plurality of bar membersI20. Member I00 which may be termed the eccentric member, is rotatablymounted on bearing I with its axis slightly offset from and inclined tothat of member 90 and has a periphery comprising a plurality of barmembers I 30 disposed alternately to bar members I20 of concentricmember 90.

As in the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the thread-receiving member B'ccarried by rod '4ilc extending through the shaft I I0 has a neck portionjoining a knob Mo and a sloped conical portion 320 the outer edge ofwhich projects under the ends of the reel bars.

In the embodiment of Figure 6, a stationary stub shaft 50 rotatablysupports a concentric reel member 5! having spaced bars 52, a gear 53secured to the hub of the member 5i serving as a driving connection. Thestub shaft 59 carries a projecting shaft 54 which rotatably carries thereel member 55 on an axis both eccentric and inclined to the aXis ofreel member 5I. Eccentric reel member 55 has spaced bar membersinterdigitating between those of the concentric reel member 52. Securedto the end of the projecting shaft 54 is the stationary thread-receivingmember G'd similar in construction and arrangement to that of theembodiments of Figures 3, 4 and 5.

While the lengths of the thread-advancing reels shown in Figures 1 todare of the same order of size as their diameter, the present inven- Itis to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel, means for rotatingthe strand-carrying surface thereof, and a generally ring-shapedstrand-receiving surface adjacent the discharge end of the reel, theringshaped surface having a smaller diameter than the strand-carryingsurface of the thread-advancing reel.

2. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel, means for rotatingthe strand-carrying surface thereof, and a stationary generallyring-shaped strand-receiving surface adjacent the discharge end of thereel, the ring-shaped surface having a smaller diarneter than thestrand-carrying surface of the thread-advancing reel.

3. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel having a cage-likestrand-carrying surface, means for rotating the strand-carrying surface,and a member having a flared strand-receiving surface adjacent andvextending back of and within a portion of the discharge end of thesurface of the reel.

4. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel having a cage-likestrand-carrying surface, means for rotating the strand-carrying surface,and a stationary memher having a flared strand-receiving surfaceadjacent and extending back of and within a portiorli of the dischargeend of the surface of the ree.

5. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel supported adjacentonly that end from which it normally advances thread, means for rotatingthe strandcarrying surface thereof, and a stationary generallyring-shaped strand-receiving surface adjacent the discharge end of thereel, the ringshaped surface having a smaller diameter than thestrand-carrying surface of the thread-advancin reel.

6. Apparatus for handling continuous strands of filamentary materialcomprising a threadstoring, thread-advancing reel, means for rotatingthe strand-carrying surface thereof, and a stationary generallyring-shaped strand-receiving surface adjacent the discharge end of thereel, the ring-shaped surface having a smaller diameter than thestrand-carrying surface of the thread-advancing reel, said ring-shapedsurface comprising a flared portion having its extreme edge positionedback of and within a portion of the discharge end of the surface of thereel.

'7. Apparatus for handling strands of filamentary material comprising athread-storing, thread-advancing reel having a strand-carrying surface,said reel being supported from one end only, means for impartingthread-advancing motion away from the supported end of the reel, and astationary member terminating in a knob and having an annularstrand-receiving portion projecting from the discharge end of the reel.

8. Apparatus for handling strands of filamentary material comprising athread-storing,

thread-advancing reel having a strand-carrying surface, said reel beingsupported from one end only, means for imparting thread-advancing motionaway from the supported end of the reel, and a. stationary memberterminating in a knob and having an annular strand-receiving portionprojecting from the discharge end of the reel, said member comprising aflared portion having its extreme edge positioned back of and within aportion of the discharge end of the surface of the reel.

9. Apparatus for handling strands of filamentary material comprising athread-storing, thread-advancing reel having a plurality ofinterdigitating bars forming a strand-carrying surface, said reel beingsupported from one end only, means for rotating the bars, means forimparting relative motion to the bars to effect thread-advancing motionaway from the supported end of the reel, and a stationary memberterminating in a knob and having an annular strand-receiving portionprojecting from the discharge end of the reel.

10. Apparatus for handling strands of filamentary material comprising athread-storing, thread-advancing reel having a plurality ofinterdigitating bars forming a strand-carrying surface, said reel beingsupported from one end only, means for rotating the bars, means forimparting relative motion to the bars to effect thread-advancing motionaway from the supported end of the reel, and a stationary memberterminating in a knob and having an annular strand-receiving portionprojecting from the discharge end of the reel, said member comprising aflared portion having its extreme edge positioned back of and within aportion of the discharge end of the surface of the reel.

11. Reel mechanism for handling strands and the like comprising two setsof annularly arranged, longitudinally extending bars, the bars of oneset alternating with those of the other, means for simultaneouslyrotating the bars of the two sets as a unit, means for impartingrelative motion between the bars of the two sets to effect advancingmotion of the strand endwise of the reel comprising a rotatable shafthaving concentric bearing means for one set of bars and having fixedthereto eccentric bearing means for the other set of bars, a stationarygenerally ringshaped strand-receiving surface adjacent the discharge endof the device, and means for rotating the shaft comprising a couplingmember disposed concentrically within the ring-shaped strand-receivingsurface.

12. Reel mechanism for handling strands and the like comprising two setsof annularly arranged, longitudinally extending bars, the bars of oneset alternating with those of the other, means for simultaneouslyrotating the bars of the two sets as a unit, means for impartingrelative motion between the bars of the two sets to effect advancingmotion of the strand endwise of the reel comprising a rotatable shafthaving concentric bearing means for one set of bars and having fixedthereto eccentric bearing means for the other set of bars, a retractablestationary generally ring-shaped strand-receiving surface adjacent thedischarge end of the device, and means for rotating the shaft comprisinga retractable coupling member disposed concentrically within thering-shaped strand-receiving surface.

RICHARD W. STANLEY. WILLIAM B. LOWE.

